Unity College President Stephen Mulkey has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

“I look forward to working with President Mulkey and the other new members of the AASHE Board,” noted Jacqueline Johnson, Chair and Chancellor of the University Minnesota at Morris. “Stephen Mulkey's experience and expertise in sustainability combined with his vision and record of leadership make him an excellent addition as AASHE continues its work to advance the broad goals of sustainability in higher education.”

A strong advocate for higher education reform, Mulkey led Unity College to become the first institution of higher education in the United States to adopt sustainability science as its framework for teaching and learning. The change is in service to a transdisciplinary approach that prepares students to address 21st century ecological challenges, including the mitigation of global climate change.

“We are proud of President Mulkey and his vision for the sustainability of this planet,” noted Executive Vice President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “President Mulkey is a strong advocate for sustainability and makes a compelling argument for comprehensive education reform. He brings a broad understanding of science and a deep commitment to the mitigation of climate change to all he does.”

In 2012, Mulkey touched off a growing nationwide movement when Unity College became the first institution of higher education in the United States to divest from investments in fossil fuels. At present, over 300 colleges and universities in the United States have active student movements pressing for similar action on their campuses. He has since become a leader for higher education to comprehensively address climate change, often speaking to groups across the country.

AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. It does this by providing resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research.